Manchester United should be looking to build around Paul Pogba, says Mark Bosnich, with the criticism aimed at the midfielder “unfair” as he has the potential to be a talismanic presence.
The France international has appeared capable of taking up such a standing at times.
Struggles for consistency have, however, blighted his second spell at Old Trafford.
Questions have been asked of him ever since completing an £89 million ($113m) return to England in the summer of 2016.
Bosnich is disappointed to see the World Cup winner becoming a scapegoat, with there being every reason to believe that Pogba, Romelu Lukaku and David de Gea can play leading roles in an exciting future if they can be kept happy and given prominent roles in which to flourish.
The former United goalkeeper told RT of Pogba’s critics: “I think a lot of that has been thrown at him and a lot of that has been unfair.
“People have their own style and the way they go about things and people need to realise he is a world-class player.
“It’s synonymous of the team right now how things are actually going. Because they’re not going the best and Manchester United aren’t really where they should be. People have got to keep that in the back of their mind.
“As I always say, the best players in the team always get the plaudits when things are going well, and when they’re not, they get the biggest criticism as well.”
Getty ImagesBosnich added on a mercurial talent, and those around him: “I don’t think we’ve seen the best of [Pogba] yet.
“For a long time you would have to say under Mourinho he wasn’t used in a role that you could say suited him. And I understand he’s very, very divisive but for me both him and Lukaku, again coming back to the attitude thing, and when I say attitude - just be up front.
“The club needs to go and say ‘Do you want to be here, seriously do you want to be here, yes or no?’. If both of those players want to be there then those two, along with De Gea, should be the people they’re looking to build a team around.
“I know he’s had his detractors and you know sometimes it comes across a little bit of a different way because he does sometimes have a blasé attitude towards things and I think a lot of people, especially people from Manchester, sometimes see that a little bit of a different way. But he is a top, top player.
“When I say top player, he is a world-class player.
“And I think if he wants to stay it should be made painfully clear to him that we’re going to build a team around yourself around Lukaku and around David de Gea. And basically I say to you if I got rid of Paul Pogba, how much money am I going to get for him and who am I going to replace him with, because that won’t be easy.”
Pogba made 47 appearances for United in the 2018-19 campaign, registering 16 goals and making the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.